Lim Yew Kuan. After Fire. 1966. Woodblock print on paper, 48.4 × 62.5 cm. Collection of National Gallery Singapore.



Figuring a Scene moves away from how art history has defined the logic of exhibitions, arguing that exhibitions have intrinsic significance independent of supposedly external factors like history or society. It asserts that emotions, imagination, and sensory experiences play crucial roles in understanding art and inevitably defining how we make sense of history or society. The exhibition probes the process of creating forms and how sensitive materials like art gain significance within specific settings, resembling the unfolding of narrative or drama.

Figuring a Scene presents different instances where elements from nature become signs that help us perceive and grasp social forms. These instances come via the shadow, the fruit, the fire, the air, the wax, and the city.

Experience it for yourself at Dalam Southeast Asia, the dedicated project space within the UOB Southeast Asia Gallery.

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